FOREWORD
The following pages represent the text of a work on Dharmaśāstra by the great Nanda alias Vināyaka Pandit of the Dharmādhikāri family of Benares. The Work deals with certain details connected with the observance of the Navarātra rites. These details have been well brought out in the Sanskrit Introduction prefixed to the work & need not be repeated here.
The author lived in Benares in the 17th Century of the Christian era & was universally respected as the leading pandit of the age in Northern India, specially on questions connected with Hindu Law. He was the author of several Works, mostly on Dharma Śāstra, the only exception being his Mādhavānanda Mahākāvya. His ancestor Pandit Lakșmīdhara. a Māhārāșțra Brāhmana of the Mudgala family , was one of the most celebrated scholars of Bidar in Southern India & was recipient of high honours from the Emperor of Delhi. He was recognised in those days as the highest & final authority on Hindu Law. His younger son Govinda migrated to Benares, on the death of his elder son Śrī Kŗșņa, together with the latter's in-
- These details bear upon the determination of the tithis. So far as the Pratipat is concerned the author is in favour, when it is not available in its purity, of it being connected with Amā rather than with Dvitīyā. The Navarātra Vrata is held by him to be a species of “Nakta Vrata. ” Regarding the Pāranā day the author prefers the Navamī against the Daśamī as in the opinion of Kamalākara Bhațta, Raghunandana & others. The Navami view is supported by Ananta Deva (Smŗtikaustabha ) & others.
